Samaan

One of the biggest challenges I encounter as I speak to people and explain to them my vision for 'Samaan' is disbelief in their eyes. They have a doubt - what does this 16 year know about financial literacy and what makes her an expert that she is giving advice to others.  I don't completely disagree with them. While I have empanelled experts in this field, it is still imperative that I build my own knowledge base. That is why I have started by reading the book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. It is a book that helps the reader in developing personal finance skills by teaching them about correct investment, saving and financial growth opportunities. But most importantly this book builds a healthy mindset to view 'money'.  Here are a few takeaways I have from that book" 1. Simply having a high income won't automatically increase your wealth, you need income-generating assets for that. 2. Take risks when it comes to your money 3. Develop a c...

I am thrilled to share my brochure! It contains details of "Samaan" and why is it so important to us. It also talks about values we strive to follow and our goals.  Here it is! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ECy7rRA1KQZBBRCpM6QYWmPFA-_Rz1fz/view?usp=sharing I really wanted it to have a professional look. So took a bit of help from my father to choose colour scheme and template from MS Office.  Hope you find it inspiring.  - Lavanya

As this is unfolding, I am realizing unforeseen challenges coming my way.    I am approaching many people and seeking their inputs. It's easier for me to speak when I have a particular agenda and drive my conversation with respect to that agenda. But when it comes to having small talk or having a warm-up conversation, I feel extremely uncomfortable.  Today was one such day. Our domestic help - Sunita maushi (that's aunty in Marathi) came over to speak to me. I had drafted the questions for her. But the real challenge was to strike a chord with her so that she answers slightly difficult questions which she had never thought of before.  I decided the course of the conversation. I planned on conversation points. I thought about things that would matter to her. I was slightly embarrassed that she has been visiting our home for so many months yet I didn't know much about her. Then I roleplayed all of this with my mother.  Speaking to her finally, however, left me wit...

 Hello reader! Let me begin by sharing the context.  I study in a school that is founded with a vision of creating women leaders and offers this vision to girls across countries irrespective of their financial status. A large part of my class studies on scholarship. I see girls of my age making incorrect spending choices (buying insane number of clothes, cosmetics from unaffordable places) and it bothers me because they don't have enough money or will to spend on things that they should, such as nutrition, education, insurance, etc. I want to be able to tell them that this is an incorrect way to go about finances.   I also remember watching a video that my Aai (my mother) received on Whatsapp on Women's Day. The video threw light on how men and women view 'money' and how their outlook impacts their decisions. It started with generic questions and if their answers were "yes", they had to take on step ahead. As the questions became related to finances, more and ...